Brian Little

Born on November 25, 1953, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Brian Little began his football journey at Aston Villa, where he spent his entire playing career from 1971 to 1980. A talented striker, he made 247 league appearances for the club, scoring 60 goals. His playing tenure included notable successes, such as winning the Football League Cup twice, in 1975 and 1977. In 1975, Little earned a single cap for the England national football team. His career as a player at Aston Villa was marked by his consistent performance and his role in the team’s ascent from the Third Division to the First Division. He was a key player in Villa’s FA Youth Cup-winning side in 1972 and a regular first-team player by the 1973–74 season. Little’s playing career was cut short in 1980 at the age of 26 due to a knee injury.

Following his retirement as a player, Little transitioned into coaching and management. His managerial career began with a brief stint as caretaker manager for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1986. He then took on roles at Middlesbrough as a first-team coach before moving to Darlington in 1989. At Darlington, he led the team to consecutive promotions, bringing them back into the Football League and winning the Fourth Division championship in the 1990–91 season. His success at Darlington attracted the attention of Leicester City, where he was appointed manager in 1991. He guided Leicester through three successive playoff campaigns, eventually securing promotion to the Premier League in 1994, marking the club’s return to the top flight after a seven-year absence.

In November 1994, Little returned to his former club, Aston Villa, as manager. During his tenure at Villa Park, he led the team to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League in the 1995–96 season and secured his third Football League Cup title as a manager in 1996 with a 3–0 victory over Leeds United. This achievement also earned Villa qualification for the UEFA Cup. After leaving Aston Villa in 1998, Little managed several other clubs, including Stoke City (1998–1999), West Bromwich Albion (1999–2000), Hull City (2000–2002), Tranmere Rovers (2003–2006), Wrexham (2007–2008), and Gainsborough Trinity (2009–2011). His career also included a role as the Jersey FA’s Director of Football from 2014, taking over as manager in 2016 and winning the Muratti Vase. In 2024, Aston Villa named him to their Honorary Anniversary Board for the club’s 150th anniversary.